Zanxing (Retranslated)

“The world is full of souls. Now that she has broken free from the illusion, her soul is free to reincarnate. Who knows, one day you may meet again.”

“Meet again?” Men Dong looked at her, puzzled.

Meng Ying nodded. Her beautiful, usually cold eyes appeared gentle and warm in the faint glow of the fireflies. She said softly, “When you grow up, one day as you walk along the road, the flowers you pass, the wind that blows by, the red carp in the pond, the birds flying in the courtyard—they might be her. Perhaps she will be reborn as a human, looking exactly the same as she did in this life. When that happens, you’ll recognize her at a glance.”

Tian Fangfang paused, his hand holding the bowl of wine.

She was comforting Men Dong.

Meng Ying, who never cared about such matters and was solely focused on her cultivation, was now patiently comforting her grieving junior brother.

Some things had indeed changed.

Mu Cengxiao lowered his head, smiling slightly, while Liu Yunxin looked at him thoughtfully but said nothing more.

The tense, icy atmosphere seemed to be gently thawed by the soft breeze.

*

The night grew deeper.

The light of the fireflies gradually dimmed, the stars in the mountains twinkled, and the disciples who had come to enjoy the lotus flowers were either drunk or asleep, slowly dispersing. Only one table of people remained.

Tian Fangfang nudged Mu Cengxiao, who was slumped over the table. “Junior Brother, wake up.”

Mu Cengxiao groggily extended an arm, swatted away Tian Fangfang’s hand, then pulled his arm back and remained motionless.

“Brother Mu is drunk,” Liu Yunxin said, somewhat at a loss.

Zanxing put down her bowl and complained to Tian Fangfang, “It’s all your fault. Why did you keep making him drink?”

Tian Fangfang loudly protested his innocence, “Junior Sister, listen to yourself. Did I make him drink? He got this drunk after just two bowls, while Junior Brother Men Dong managed three!”

Zanxing was at a loss for words. It was true. Who would have thought that Mu Cengxiao couldn’t handle his drink? Although Floating Dream Wine was technically wine, it was more like a tonic. Mu Cengxiao, who had lost his protagonist halo in cultivation and love, couldn’t even hold his liquor?

What a shame.

Men Dong, his face flushed, asked, “Senior Brother, what time is it now? Isn’t it time for lunch?”

Zanxing: “…”

Meng Ying calmly said, “It’s getting late. We should send them back to their halls to rest.”

Tian Fangfang nodded, “Yes, yes, we can’t leave them here in the cold. They might catch a chill.”

Zanxing stood up, “I’ll take Men Dong back.” As soon as she stood up, she felt dizzy and her vision blurred.

Floating Dream Wine could be described as a medicinal tonic with the taste of wine, or wine with the taste of a medicinal tonic. Though it tasted bitter, drinking too much would still make one somewhat tipsy. The pastries on the table were too sweet, causing them to drink a few more bowls to offset the sweetness. They hadn’t felt it earlier, but now that they stood up, the wine’s aftereffect was quite strong, making it hard to walk steadily.

Zanxing stumbled a few steps before steadying herself by holding onto the table. Seeing this, Tian Fangfang asked, “Junior Sister, are you alright?”

Zanxing waved her hand, “I’m fine.”

Tian Fangfang looked at the drunken Mu Cengxiao, feeling a bit troubled.

Both Men Dong and Mu Cengxiao were too drunk to walk, so someone had to take them back. Liu Yunxin looked frail and was in poor health, making it difficult for him to carry Mu Cengxiao back, while Meng Ying… Given their current relationships, if Meng Ying helped, there would surely be more rumors the next day.

“Senior Sister Meng, you take Junior Brother back,” Tian Fangfang said. “I’ll take Brother Mu back first.”

Meng Ying glanced at Mu Cengxiao, said nothing, and walked over to Men Dong. With a flick of her hand, she easily lifted Men Dong by the back of his collar and left Doluo Platform.

Tian Fangfang draped one of Mu Cengxiao’s arms over his shoulder, while Liu Yunxin supported the other side. He said to Zanxing, “Junior Sister, wait here for me. I’ll be back to get you in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.”

Zanxing nodded, “Don’t worry about me, I can walk on my own.”

“Don’t be stubborn,” Tian Fangfang warned. “Senior Sister Ziluo said many senior brothers and sisters have fallen into the Changchun Pool and nearly drowned after getting drunk. It’s dark out, be careful not to fall. Our Miaokong Hall isn’t far, wait for me.” With that, he and Liu Yunxin left with Mu Cengxiao.

In an instant, Zanxing was left alone.

She sat quietly, looking at the red flower blooming in her palm. The flower was enchanting, with intertwined vines, resembling the unpredictable twists of fate.

After a while, she sneezed. “Ah-choo! It’s really cold.”

*

The last firefly flew out of the firefly lamp, drifting away and becoming a shimmering green dot among the lotus shadows, eventually disappearing from sight.

Along with it, the person who should have been sitting here also vanished.

Gu Baiying frowned. “Where is she?”

On his way back to the hall, he encountered Tian Fangfang, who was supporting Mu Cengxiao. Seeing him, Tian Fangfang was overjoyed. “Martial Uncle, you’re here just in time. Junior Sister Zanxing is drunk and still at Doluo Platform. Can you fetch her for me? It’ll save her from being out in the cold for too long.”

At the time, Gu Baiying had responded with a stern look. “Why should I fetch her?” His attitude was one of utter reluctance. Yet, in the end, he relented.

After all, Zanxing called him Martial Uncle, and as an elder, it was only natural to take care of the younger disciples. This was how Gu Baiying convinced himself.

However, upon arriving at Doluo Platform, he found no one there.

The words of Xuan Lingzi echoed in his ears.

“Every year during the lotus viewing, many drunk disciples stumble and fall into Changchun Pool. What if a disciple gets so drunk they don’t react and end up drowning? Junior Brother, how about we ask the Sect Leader for some money this year to add some railings around Duolotai to prevent accidents?”

Gu Baiying pressed his forehead and muttered, “That fool…”

After a moment, he stretched out his hand, and as he clenched and then opened his fist, four glowing green paper cranes appeared in his palm. The paper cranes wobbled and flew off in different directions. He turned and walked toward Changchun Pool.

A gentle breeze caressed the lotus leaves covering Changchun Pool, and the night was as clear as water, with scattered shadows of flowers.

The pool’s edge was adorned with various oddly shaped stones, all collected by the Sage Yushan during his travels through various secret realms. He loved to collect worldly items, sometimes a tree seed, a stone, a handful of soil, or a scoop of sand.

It was this penchant for collecting that added a touch of vibrant life to the otherwise cold and solemn Taiyan Sect.

As he walked, a paper crane in the distance chirped at him. The sound was clear, and the boy paused before heading in the direction of the paper crane.

The lotus flowers were just beginning to bloom, and the evening breeze carried a fragrant scent throughout the hall.

By the water’s edge, on a bluestone slab, someone lay drunkenly asleep, their intoxication evident.

The woman’s green dress was adorned with silver stars that shone more brilliantly in the dim light. She rested her head on her arm, her skirt spreading out over the stone, giving her the appearance of a spirit.

Gu Baiying stopped beside her, looking down from above. “Yang Zanxing.”

There was no response from Zanxing.

He frowned, his tone impatient. “Hey, Yang Zanxing, wake up!”

Still, there was no reply.

After a moment of hesitation, he sighed and crouched down, lifting the sleeping girl and attempting to carry her.

She was usually chattering away, very lively, not as noisy as Men Dong, but never quiet. It was rare to see her this calm. When she was quiet, it was as if she were a different person.

A stranger, yet someone who made his heart feel as if ants were crawling and butterflies were fluttering inside, tickling and not entirely his own.

He was lost in these thoughts when suddenly, the person in his arms opened her eyes, looking at him in a daze. “Gu Baiying…”

Gu Baiying was startled and almost let go, but quickly regained his composure, albeit not very confidently, and scolded, “Who told you to sleep here? You’re so careless, getting drunk and running around…”

Zanxing frowned, interrupting him, “Why are you so bothersome, even in my dreams…”

“Bothersome?” The boy looked at her in disbelief. “You think I’m bothersome?”

Zanxing gave him a smile. Before Gu Baiying could react, she had already lunged forward, cupping his face in her hands.

Their eyes met.

Gu Baiying froze.

In the distance, there was the sound of cicadas, perhaps even frogs. The summer night on Gufeng Mountain was both quiet and lively, and this was a corner where no one would notice. She clutched his face and leaned in closer.

Zanxing muttered, “Gu Baiying…”

She leaned in so close that he could feel the warm, intimate breath of the girl mixed with the scent of alcohol. It was an overly dangerous proximity. The initiator seemed oblivious, almost pressing against him, speaking earnestly, word by word, “You shouldn’t be called Gu Baiying, you should be called Gu Baixue

¹…”

Gu Baiying’s breath was uneven. He struggled to maintain a facade of calm, attempting to pull away from her. “What?”

She leisurely continued, “Look, your skin is as white as snow.” Her fingers traced the boy’s face, and where she touched, it immediately felt burning hot.

“Your hair is as black as ebony…” Her hand lingered through his hair, slipping through his hair tie. The crimson silk hair tie felt cool like moonlight, slipping past her fingertips.

And she continued, “Your lips are as red as blood…”

Her fingers reached his lips.

The boy’s entire body stiffened.

She leaned in closer, her gaze clear, like the bottomless lake in a secret realm, tranquil, gentle, reflecting all things in the world, and her own reflection. The night breeze carried the scent of magnolia from her, light and soft, like the eternal fragrance of spring.

Behind him was a massive green stone, leaving him with no room to retreat.

The starry sky was deep, hanging above, casting clear light over the lotus leaves. The evening breeze rustled their clothes.

In this serene moment, he suddenly heard a clear bell sound.

The Jie Xin Bell, which had been silenced with a binding spell, unexpectedly rang out, breaking the stillness of the summer night.

“What sound is that…” Zanxing murmured.

The boy was startled, instinctively reaching out to cover the girl’s ears.

In the next moment, warmth brushed against his lips.

His hands still covered her ears, the bell continued to ring across the mountains, the wind still blew, the flowers still bloomed, fireflies danced, and the night was intoxicating.

Their shadows overlapped on the green stone.

Footnotes

1. 
   
   

   In Chinese, Baixue (白雪) translates to white snow.